Millions of children driven to school each day by their parents are ‘killing the planet’ with the pollution they generate, green campaigners claim today.

They argue that the traditional school run by mums and dads in their 4X4s and other vehicles ‘costs the Earth’ because every time a child is driven to primary school and back their car releases into the atmosphere the equivalent of 84 balloons worth of carbon dioxide (CO2) - the so-called ‘greenhouse-gas’ which some scientists blame for global warming.

Millions of children driven to school each day by their parents are 'killing the planet' with the pollution they generate, environmental transport charity Sustrans has claimed

They are urging parents to encourage their children to walk, cycle ‘scoot’ on a scooter or take a bus to school rather than rely on the chauffeur services provided by legions of mums and dad causing gridlock outside the school gates.

The research by environmental transport charity Sustrans says that if a child is driven to school every day they would generate 183,379 balloons worth of CO2 over their school career: ‘That’s 84 balloons every day’, says Sustrans.

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share

Overall Journeys to school made by car are responsible for releasing over 363,075 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year, it claims.

Their report notes:’Currently over 1,760,000 children are driven to primary school across the UK - even though pupils live an average of 1.8 miles from their school which takes just 20 minutes to bike or scoot. ‘

The announcement comes at the start of The Big Pedal (3 -14th March); an inter-school competition run by Sustrans which encourages families to cycling or scoot the school run.

This year The Big Pedal is partnering with Climate Week (3-9th March) to emphasise the impact the school run has on the environment.

'In future please ask your mother to drop you off at the school gates'

More than 1,520 schools have signed up to take part in The Big Pedal 2014 and will make hundreds of thousands of bike and scooter journeys over 10 days.

The report says; ‘Last year families made 847,725 journeys by bike and scooter saving an impressive 704 tonnes of CO2 – or 52,800,000 balloons - from being released into the atmosphere had all these journeys have been made by car.’

Malcolm Shepherd, chief executive at Sustrans said: ‘Driving to school not only contributes to UK-wide air pollution levels, it also causes pollution at the school gates which can be harmful for children.

‘If families who lived closer to school travelled by bike or scooter then both pollution and congestion levels could be significantly reduced.’

He added: ’Parents who make this simple change to their daily routine will help everyone breathe a little easier and will find their journeys help make them happier and healthier too.’

Organisers said this year The Big Pedal is partnering with Climate Week (3-9th March) to emphasise the impact the school run has on the environment.

Mr Shepherd noted: ’The Big Pedal proves that families can change the way they travel – but we need this change to last for longer than two weeks to make a lasting impact on the environment.’

Kevin Steele, the founder of Climate Week said: ‘We’re calling on all the teachers who support us to change themselves from pedagogues to pedalogues and get their schools involved in the Big Pedal for Climate Week.'